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Laurel Isbister grew up in North Carolina but soon moved on to the wider world, including Florida, France, Bulgaria and California. In 2003, after a cross-country trek through Utah and St. Louis, Laurel relocated to Mississippi to be near her ancestors, both living and dead. She loves the South, particularly Jackson.
Laurel plays acoustic guitar and keyboard, and sings in a wonderful, unique voice. Her roots are in rock, folk, and funk music, but her musical style has been greatly influenced by her travels and studies in world music. In 1996 she lived in Bulgaria for a year, studying traditional singing.
Laurel's guitar shows influences of the open tunings of Neil Young and Joni Mitchell and the harp bass playing of Michael Hedges. Laurel's voice and songwriting have also been compared to Joni Mitchell's. There's a sweet thoughtfulness to accompany the sharp edge of life's struggles. As a recent fan said, her spirit is strong, there's always the presence of hope, and she is courageously honest.
Nature and nature's messages remain constant markers in Laurel's music, as do themes of spirituality, relationships, and modern (post-modern? Post-post-modern?) society. In the song "Apricot Tree in the Everglades", for example, she lolls under a friendly tree in Los Angeles thinking about how things fall apart even if it hurts, but it doesn't take away what's really true. The tree's leaves rustle like rushes in the Florida Everglades-reminding her of a place she once called home.
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| Website: laurelisbister.com |
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